Antioxidant effects of quercetin on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and their electroporation

Abstract

Electroporation is a phenomenon when a brief application of a strong electric field affects biological membranes, temporarily increasing their permeability to ions and molecules. As a result, transient pores are created in the plasma membrane. During this process, electrochemical reactions occur both at the electrode-solution interface and within the medium, leading to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can impair cell viability. In this study, we investigated the effects of ROS induced by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and electroporation on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, as well as the potential antioxidant protection provided by quercetin. CHO cell suspensions were exposed to various concentrations of H₂O₂ and quercetin and electroporated using a single 2 ms duration electric field pulse of varying intensities (0.5–2.0 kV/cm). Cell viability was evaluated using a colony formation assay, and ROS levels were assessed via Amplex Red fluorescence. Quercetin showed no cytotoxicity up to 2 µM, but reduced cell viability at higher concentrations. It significantly improved survival in cells exposed to H₂O₂ across all tested concentrations, with the most notable effect observed at 10 µM H₂O₂, increasing viability. Similarly, quercetin enhanced post-electroporation viability by 11% and 17% at 0.5 and 1.0 kV/cm, respectively. However, at 2.0 kV/cm, its protective effect was no longer observed. These results suggest that quercetin mitigates oxidative stress induced by both chemical and physical stimuli and may be a useful cytoprotective agent in electroporation-based biomedical applications.